Ranking the Dragon Quest Games 2

Crazy Gamer here to count down the quality of the Dragon Quest games.  Here is part 2.

7.  Dragon Warrior 2- NES

Dragon Quest 2 (Dragon Warrior 2 here in the US, see my Dragon Warrior one entry for explanation) expands upon and improved upon the original in many important ways.  The story is far more complex, you have multiple characters, and the monsters you face have grown in number, type, and ferocity.  In a lot of ways Dragon Quest 2 and not the original is the grandfather of the roleplaying game.  So why does the game rank so low?  The biggest problem is that Dragon Quest 2 has largely been lost to time.  Released in 1988, in the US, the game last saw re issue as a Game Boy Color game in the mid 90's but otherwise has remained in obscurity.  The fact remains that the latter games accomplish what Dragon Quest 2 did well while looking better.  Still I recommend the game highly for those of you looking for a challenge, and who don't mind the archaic graphics. 

6.  Dragon Quest 3- NES

Dragon Quest 3 (again it was called Dragon Warrior 3 here in the states) adds another element to the series that gamers today in 2012 expect as standard, job specific skill sets.  At the outset of the game you the player are asked to create a party to adventure with from a series of classes that are common today but not so in 1990 when the game saw release.  Soldiers, wizards, priests and more were available to name and equip as you fought once again to save the world. 

By today's standards the story is weak, but it features a second world that you must rescue, however the second world throws you for a loop as it is the game world from the original Dragon Quest.  It turns out that Dragon Quest 3 is a prequel to the original and you are Erdrick the legendary hero mentioned as the savior in the first game.  This was very cool to discover for those who loved the first game so much. 

The game is lower on the list because once again the later games expand upon this concept and have better visuals and stories.  That said, players should pay respect to the game that created the rpg conventions so prevalent in later games.  Dragon Quest 3 also benefits from a more recent re issue on the Game Boy advance, go find it if you are looking for a challenge. 

Consider a new candidate for president of the US!

I know where my vote will be going this November

Warhammer 101: Choosing an army

Yesterday I started my Warhammer 101 series with a basic overview of the hobby.  Today I will discuss choosing an army to play.

Ultimately you should choose an army that you like the look of.  Don't succumb to popular Internet sentiment.  If you don't like the models you won't want to paint the models and your enjoyment of the hobby will diminish.

I will also point out that you should be careful about looking for super powerful Internet lists.  They don't last long. 

What do I mean by this?  Back in 2002 I began an  Ultramarines army which I based off of the 5th Battle Company.  Over time I have added different elements, but I still use my 5th company as the core of the lists that I use today ten years later.  In the same time I have seen hundreds of "super," lists come and go.  These lists are usually highly specialized and very expensive and even small changes to the game can greatly reduce the armies effectiveness. 

Currently the 40k darling army is a Necron army known as Cron Air.  It uses as many Necron fliers as possible.  The problem is each Necron Flyer is some $50.00 dollars.  This army will set you back a small fortune and their is no telling how long the list will be super. 

I cannot stress highly enough to purchase a balanced army (which I will discuss later).  It will be cheaper and will last you as long as you play in the hobby.

Now I will give a brief overview of the current armies, starting with 40k ones.

Space Marines: This is the bread and butter army.  It is almost entirely plastic (fun to model, more variety, light, etc).  Space Marines are tough, skilled, and well equipped.  Space Marine armies are smaller in numbers and as such are cheaper to purchase.  However because they are an elite army you will have to make tough choices with what to bring to a game. 

Space Marine armies also allow many easy painting techniques to be used.
Here are some cool images to wet your whistle.

Space Marines also come in several other flavors:

Blood Angels are more close combat oriented and favor use of Jump packs.

Then you have Dark Angels which are more shooty and have more bikers.

Finally we have Space Wolves that have things like giant wolves, and viking weapons.



Regardless of type, all Space Marines are tough and effective in combat. 

Next up we have


Necrons: Necrons are similar to Space Marines in that they are tough and resilient and effective in combat.  They are essentially metal skeletons who want revenge against the universe.  Necrons are currently very popular but are likely to be reduced in effectiveness. 

Necron armies are also mostly plastic and can be effectively painted using the dry brushing method (which is both quick and easy).

Those of you who are children of the 80's may notice a homage to the Terminator.  Necrons even have a special rule that used to be called "I'll be back."

Next up- More 40k armies and then Fantasy armies!

Ranking the Dragon Quest games

One of the first console role playing game series ever released was a little series called Dragon Quest.  Now, almost 25 years later, Dragon Quest has released nine games here in the US and ten games in Japan.

I have a great affinity for this series, so I will rank them

9.  Dragon Warrior- NES

First released here in the United States in the mid 80's; this game was for many fresh faced role players (including myself) their first foray into how awesome it could be to play games with a story. 
By today's standards Dragon Warrior is simplistic with only one character, a very basic game system, and a very very paper thin story, but in the mid 80's we were transported to a kingdom under siege from the evil Dragon Lord.  Only my little blue avatar (no not that one!) stood in the way!  But, as is so often the case when you start out you stand no chance of defeating the Dragon Lord so you must fight your way up by improving your stats and equipment until you can meet the Dragon Lord in single combat.  In order to get stronger you must explore dank caves, dark forests, and haunted towns, hunting down mythical equipment as you fend off fiendish monsters. 

Role playing games today are highly interactive novels these days with amazing graphics, fully voiced dialogue, and moving scores.  But the only reason games have gotten so amazing is because games like Dragon Warrior sparked the imagination of thousands. 

I rank Dragon Warrior in the lowest spot because each game is an improvement over it in the series.  Even Dragon Warrior 2 is leaps and bounds more complex than the original.  This still a transcendent game. 

Note:  Dragon Warrior is known as Dragon Quest everywhere else in the world.  I did not in fact go crazy by billing my ranking of the Dragon Quest series and then begin with a game called Dragon Warrior.  Apparently their was a show trademarked Dragon Quest here in the US in the 80's so Enix couldn't call the game by its Japanese title.  Today that trademark has expired and games are now released as Dragon Quest.  Sorry for the confusion. 

8.  Dragon Quest VII- Playstation

Dragon Quest VII is my least favorite Dragon Quest game.  I rank it higher than Dragon Warrior only because it improves greatly on the limitations of the original.  However, by 1997 when this game was released the series had not grown as much as it could and the series lagged behind its competitors in almost all respects. 

The game itself is fine.  The story is fine, the game play is fine, the characters are fine, the music was fine and the graphics were poor.  Enix had not grown the series like they should and in a few years they would merge with Square to the betterment of the company and the series.

Dragon Quest VII is not a bad game, but it failed to use the PlayStation's technology in any meaningful way and its average story was not enough to carry it.

Tune in next time for the next two games on my list.

Warhammer 101: The basics for building an army

So you've decided to ruin your life

Oops!  Wrong blog title.

Ahem...

Warhammer (in this case referring to both the fantasy and futuristic versions) is a wonderful hobby.  If you put forth both time and effort you will be rewarded many times over.

But, for many beginners, you can often feel overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of everything that is involved in the Warhammer hobby. 

Sadly many gamers ignore new members of the hobby as bothersome and do not try to help the fresh faces of the game.  Alone and bereft they soon leave the hobby never to enjoy it or accomplish as much as they could if someone would have looked out for them.

I won't do that.  So here is my attempt to help people new to Warhammer with my on going series of Warhammer 101 articles.  Please remember that these articles are geared to both Warhammer and Warhammer 40k players. 

Without further adieu

Where to start?

First you need to pick a game system.  Both Warhammer Fantasy and 40k offer unique experiences.  Both have their good points and a few bad points but what it really comes down to is the following:

Do you prefer swords and sorcery, with massive regiments of foot soldiers fighting against dragons, hordes of zombies or even (gasp!) zombie dragons?

or

Do you prefer futuristic warfare with soldiers using big fancy guns and huge tanks who fight against alien invaders in the forms of green skin brutes, skeletal robots, or acrobatic lithe pirates?

Once this has been done- 

I would recommend going to all the nearby local stores and see what is played and when to make sure people nearby play the game you enjoy. 

Don't know where your local store is at?  Go to www.games-workshop.com they have a link to a local store finder.  A more old fashioned approach would be to look in your local phone book under the "hobby," section.  Always call ahead if you use this approach.

Typically I recommend independent retailers over Games Workshop stores.  The reason is very simple, independent stores are usually larger and less crowded.  If you live near Chicago, LA, or Memphis, you might try the Games Workshop battle bunkers,  which are larger than the typical GW stores. 

You first purchase:

If the armies interest you I would go with either the Dark Vengeance boxed game for 40k or the Island of Blood game for Fantasy.

Even if the armies aren't of huge interest to you you might still want to invest in the boxed game.  In addition to getting a soft cover rulebook (the stand alone rulebook costs $75.00) you get two armies that you can clip together and play right out of the box. 

Find a bud who is also interested and split the cost! 

If neither army in the box game lights your fire then feel free to buy the stand alone rulebook and miniatures that you like the look of.  Keep in mind that in order to play you need one leader and a selection of basic troops (called core in Fantasy and troops in 40k). 

You will also need a specialized book called a Codex in 40k and Army Books in fantasy.  This option will cost more money up front but gives you a good starting point.

Remember two things:

1.  You will need a rulebook so you have to get one someway.

2.  You will need your armies individual Codex or Army book.  This may seem expensive but if you really want to understand the game these two things are essential, even before the models themselves you must have these resources. 

The good news is that these two essentials aren't like Apple products.  They get replaced about every six to seven years.  40k just changed to 6th edition this year and isn't due an update before 2017 and Fantasy was updated in 2010 so it will not see a new edition before 2015. 

Next time, we will discuss choosing an army and the tools you will need to start off.  

A Gentleman's game

By now I'm sure you're aware that I play the games Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40,000. 

Today I want to discuss competition and sport.

Now, to begin:

Both of these games are meant to be competitive, one person should win.  However people need to pay attention to their competition.

First, an example:

Imagine; the 49ers of the Joe Montana era are considered by many to be some of the greatest teams of all time.  Would you think more or less of them if they won 10 championships?  Probably most people would say they would think more of the team. 

What if they won their championships against the other greatest teams of all time, like the 70's Steelers, the Lombardi Packers, or Johnny U and his Colts?  Again you would probably think more of the 49ers.

Now suppose that the 49ers won their championships against the Peoria Panthers youth league, would you still feel that the 49ers were so great? 

Probably not. 

But Crazy Guy what does this have to do with Warhammer?

In the tournament scene today the prevailing view is to build the most powerful list and crush all that are in your way.  When you win you will be showered with adulation and applause!

But do you deserve it?

Where you the 88 49ers playing against the Steel Curtain Steelers or were you one of the greatest teams in history playing against a bunch of eleven year olds?

I know what you'll say next:  "Crazy Guy, I don't know who I'll play in a tournament, I have to play tough."

Really?

I have several answers.

First, consider your tournament.  If you are playing the super competitive 40k team tournament at Adepticon or at a tournament whose objective is to win at all costs then you can use whatever list you want.  These tournaments are all about coming up with tricky combinations.  in fact it is downright expected.

Large tournaments, play an average list that is representative of your race.  Space Marine armies based off Battle Companies, Imperial Guard armies that actually aren't all just veterans.  Empire armies with bunches of infantry and no hordes, Ogre Kingdoms without units of twenty ogres.  Play "meaner," against opponents who have experience.  If you lose, so what, nothing of consequence is at stake.  If you win what title do you get?  King of the dorks?

Small local tournaments are another proposition.  Yes, it is quite possible you will play against an opponent who uses a hardcore list but if you play a balanced list and win, that means you are all the better player for it.

If you lose, so what?  No money is at stake, you aren't going to get signed to a professional contract where you will earn millions of dollars.  You'll be out a trophy and maybe, if you're lucky, a prize or two of a nominal value. 

While I'm at it, you really should consider your opponents skill level when playing at your local store.  Sure, if you are playing against your buds that's one thing.  Against new players maybe a different tactic is needed.

Another story:

Once upon a time the Crazy Gamer was a young lad.  He went to his local game store and played a game against a regular from their Warhammer group.  The regular used his baddest toughest list and won the game against young me.  What did he get?  He won one game.  Guess what else?  The young me never went back, neither did my young friends.  The group that was at that store stopped playing and then they died.  Okay, so they didn't die, but their game group did. 

If you are playing someone new, now isn't the time to crush them.  Push yourself.  Play using the Dark Vengeance miniatures, but play Chaos and don't use the Hellbrute.  You'll challenge yourself while giving the other player a fighting chance.

But don't forget, if you lose, tell your opponent good game.  Don't complain and say "you only won cuz I played with less points," or other similar statements. 

Challenge yourself!  You'll become a better player, more people will want to play against you, and most importantly; you'll be a true gentleman. 

Are you a Democrat or Republican? Are you sure?

Once again I digress from the field of gaming to delve into the world of politics.  I admit that I feel strange today, I've a desire to give a perspective that might shock you.

Ask any semi- knowledgeable adult today and they will be able to correctly identify that there are two major political parties, Democrats and Republicans.

But where did these parties come from?  Have their ever been other parties?  And most importantly how, if at all, have these parties changed over the years?

First some brief history:

The Democrats claim their heritage from Thomas Jefferson and his Democratic- Republicans who first took power in the election of 1800.  They were known for preferring isolation over trade, France over Great Britain, and agriculture over business.  In the 1830's the republican was dropped officially from their name. 

The Republicans came into being in the 1850's.  Some Republicans claim heritage with the Whigs or the Federalists but they really cannot fairly be compared.  The Republicans are the only third party in our country's history to become a national power.  Most Republicans today consider Abraham Lincoln to be the father of their party because he was the first Republican president. 

You may be wondering why neither party can claim George Washington as their founder.  It's because Washington hated the idea of political parties and is the only president in our history that had no party.  Some, wrongly, list him as a Federalist.  He wasn't.

Now, to our next point.  Have these parties changed over time?

Here is the map of the 2008 election.  Remember blue is Democrat (Obama) and red is Republican (McCain).


Now let's look at the map of the 1860 election

Notice anything?  Many of the red states in the first map our blue (Democrat) on this map, and many of the blue states on the first map are red (Republican) in this one.

If you were a Republican in 1860 you favored:  Civil rights, humanitarian efforts, you wanted society to change, and you were typically middle class.

If you were a Democrat in 1860 you favored a small Federal government, you were concerned with your business interests, and you wanted society to stay just the way they were.

My point?

The political parties have switched.  If you are a Republican today, in 1860 you would likely be a Democrat and if you are a Democrat today you would likely be a Republican in 1860.

So give someone who has opposite political beliefs from you a hug or a high five, they were part of your party one.